You probably already know all about sodium. But what about glutamic acid? Every day, the average person consumes roughly 13 grams of natural glutamate from foods like Parmesan cheese, tomatoes, mushrooms, meat, walnuts and asparagus. Is one better or worse for you than the other? MSG is made by fermenting sugar cane, tapioca or corn, much the same way that yogurt is produced by fermenting milk or vinegar is made from fermented wine.
MSG is hardly new. And for six decades no one ever had a problem with it. Until Some people claim that MSG leads to excessive glutamate in the brain and excessive stimulation of nerve cells. Fear of MSG dates as far back as , when a study found that injecting large doses of MSG into newborn mice caused harmful neurological effects 4. However, dietary glutamate should have little to no effect on your brain, as it cannot cross the blood-brain barrier in large amounts 6.
Overall, there is no compelling evidence that MSG acts as an excitotoxin when consumed in normal amounts. While some people assert that the glutamate from MSG can act as an excitotoxin, leading to the destruction of nerve cells, no human studies support this.
Symptoms included headache , muscle tightness, numbness, tingling, weakness and flushing. The threshold dose that causes symptoms seems to be around 3 grams per meal.
However, keep in mind that 3 grams is a very high dose — about six times the average daily intake in the US 1 , 3. It is unclear why this happens, but some researchers speculate that such large doses of MSG enable trace amounts of glutamic acid to cross the blood-brain barrier and interact with neurons, leading to brain swelling and injury 8.
However, other similar studies did not find any relationship between MSG intake and asthma 10 , 11 , 12 , While MSG can cause adverse symptoms in some people, doses used in studies were much higher than the average daily intake.
Eating filling foods should reduce your calorie intake , which may aid weight loss. Studies note that people who consume soups flavored with MSG eat fewer calories at subsequent meals 14 , That said, other studies indicate that MSG increases — rather than decreases — calorie intake While some studies suggest that MSG may reduce your calorie intake, others claim that it boosts intake. Some people associate MSG with weight gain. In animal studies, injecting high doses of MSG into the brains of rats and mice caused them to become obese 20 , In China, increased MSG intake has been linked to weight gain — with average intake ranging from 0.
However, in Vietnamese adults, an average intake of 2. Another study tied increased MSG intake to weight gain and metabolic syndrome in Thailand — but it has been criticized for methodological flaws 24 , In a controlled trial in humans, MSG raised blood pressure and increased the frequency of headaches and nausea.
However, this study used unrealistically high doses Though some studies link MSG intake to weight gain, the results are weak and inconsistent. There's not much controversy here, just a whole lot of flavor. World globe An icon of the world globe, indicating different international options. Get the Insider App. Click here to learn more. A leading-edge research firm focused on digital transformation.
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Elena Bruess. Our stories are reviewed by medical professionals to ensure you get the most accurate and useful information about your health and wellness. For more information, visit our medical review board.
There is no scientific evidence that MSG is bad for your or can cause long-term health problems. However, some people may have an MSG sensitivity, which can lead to headaches and nausea. Visit Insider's Health Reference library for more advice.
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